the approximately 100-125 g heavy and 28 cm long Wasserralle and approaches the type Rallus relatives types forms the group of the Rallen I. with some further types.S. they essentially differ from pond-chickens in its habits.
Brood The brood-area of the Wasserralle is enough from North-Africa over whole Europe (with exception of the northern Scandinavia) until after front, north, means-Asia and Japan. 4 of each other isolated race-circles exist.
The brood-period begins May (Z) beginning of April (Central Europe) or end. B. in cashmere in 1500 m of height, and can last until in August in. Often, "Water Rails" (engl) move.) 2 yearly-broods high. Wasserrallen build a quite high nest the two brood-companion from water-plants, grass and dry reed-stalks, camouflaged very well, few centimeters over the water-surface in the swamp or in moist shore-terrain of rivers and seas aim. The birds move in together on that occasion in nest-proximity of growing plants to a type Tarnzelt so that the nest-installation is to be also discovered only very heavily from above. At all, the entire way of life of the Rallen is very shy and secret. Actually one gets to always see the birds only at the last moment from the back before flying up or only for one short moment if they vanish in the protective thicket with the lowest disturbances.
Only with most outer danger, Wasserrallen with dangling legs fly few meters densely above the ground-blanket there far in order to immediately bring themselves again on foot in the grew over in security. Accordingly carefully and unseen Wasserrallen go also to its nest or disappear silently from the nest.
The nest consists of 7-10 (5-13) eggs (3,6 × 2,6 cm) and becomes erbrütet, with what the share of the male often outweighs that of the female, for 19-20 days from (from the last egg at) both partners. The boys slip very shortly one after the other and are Nestflüchter. they have a long, silken, black Dunenkleid, that little greenish one gleams. The with alto-birds red, 4 cm long beak still is whitish with nestlings. Young Wasserrallen become intensively gehudert initially and fed, until they leave the nest after some days. The boys with 7-8 weeks become airworthy. However, they can pick up food independently already earlier and finally are left alone from time to time already after 20-30 days of the alto-birds.
As food, Wasserrallen collect insects mainly, whose larvae, other Gliedertiere, worms and small vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, occasionally also small mammals and birds) on. The share of vegetable food increases particularly in the winter.
Hikes The Wasserrallen of the British islands, Southern Europe and North-Africa are stand-birds mainly, while the populations of Central Europe to west -, southwest-Europe and into the Mediterranean-area moves. Also at the black sea, Wasserrallen spend the winter at the Kaukasus, in Near east and in North-Africa. The birds go also wide routes for the hikes without effort in continuous rudder-flight. An inferior part of the European continuance spends the winter in the brood-area however even in amazingly hard winters. The situation of the Wasserrallen becomes very unpleasant as soon as all open water-surfaces freeze over with long ongoing frost.
Endangering The Wasserralle is on the red list of the endangered types with us.
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